Chrysanthemum plant named Cherry Papillon

ABSTRACT

A Chrysanthemum plant named Cherry Papillon particularly characterized by its flat capitulum form; daisy capitulum type; greyed-red ray floret color; diameter across face of capitulum of 35 to 37 mm when fully opened, when grown as a pinched spray pot mum; photoperiodic flowering response to short days of 47 to 57 days; plant height, with 14 to 15 long days after sticking unrooted cuttings, and with 0 to 2 applications of 2500 ppm B-9 SP, ranges from 20 to 25 cm when grown as a pinched pot mum with 4 cuttings in a 15 cm pot; small dark green foliage; branching pattern is spreading and very prolific, each plant having 6 to 8 laterals after pinch; and very floriferous, with an excellent display of many small flowers.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum, botanically known as Dendranthema grandiflora, andreferred to by the cultivar name Cherry Papillon.

Cherry Papillon, identified as 4165 (86-720A02), is a product of amutation induction program. The new cultivar was discovered and selectedby Cornelius P. VandenBerg on Mar. 20, 1990 in a controlled environmentin Salinas, Calif., as one flowering plant within a flowering blockestablished as rooted cuttings from stock plants which had been exposedas unrooted cuttings to an X-ray source of 2000 rads in Fort Myers,Fla., on Aug. 10, 1989. The irradiated parent cultivar was the cultivaridentified as Papillon, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,435, anddescribed as a daisy spray pot mum with a flat capitulum form; ared-purple ray floret color; diameter across face of capitulum of 35 to37 mm when fully opened; flowering response period of 47 to 57 daysafter start of short days; plant height of 18 to 28 cm with 1 to 2applications of 2500 ppm B-9 SP when grown as a pinched pot mum in a 15cm pot; small dark green foliage; spreading and very prolific branchingpattern, with 6 to 8 laterals after pinch; and very floriferous, with anexcellent display of many small flowers.

The irradiation program resulting in Cherry Papillon had as its primaryobjective the expansion of color ranges of the parent cultivar Papillon.The irradiation program comprised irradiating cuttings of the parentcultivar at irradiation levels of 1500, 1750 and 2000 rads. A total of1554 cuttings harvested from a total of 225 irradiated plants wereplanted on Jan. 1, 1990, Dec. 11, 1989 and Nov. 27, 1989. Of these, 8initial selections were made, which selections were then revegetated andreflowered. Three consecutive flowerings resulted in discarding 7 of the8 selections on Dec. 7, 1990. The one remaining selection will beintroduced as Cherry Papillon.

The first act of asexual reproduction of Cherry Papillon wasaccomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initialselection in May 1990 in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif., bytechnicians working under supervision of Cornelis P. VandenBerg.

Horticultural examination of controlled flowerings of successiveplantings has shown that the unique combination of characteristics asherein disclosed for Cherry Papillon are firmly fixed and are retainedthrough successive generations of asexual reproduction.

Cherry Papillon has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity and daylength, without,however, any variance in genotype.

The following observations, measurements and comparisons describe plantsgrown in Salinas, Calif. under greenhouse conditions which approximatethose generally used in commercial greenhouse practice.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of Cherry Papillon, which, in combination,distinguish this Chrysanthemum as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Flat capitulum form.

2. Daisy capitulum type.

3. Greyed-red ray floret color.

4. Diameter across face of capitulum of 35 to 37 mm when fully opened,when grown as a pinched spray pot mum.

5. Photoperiodic flowering response to short days of 47 to 57 days.

6. Plant height, with 14 to 15 long days after sticking unrootedcuttings, and with 0 to 2 applications of 2500 ppm B-9 SP, ranges from20 to 25 cm when grown as a pinched pot mum with 4 cuttings in a 15 cmpot.

7. Small dark green foliage.

8. Branching pattern is spreading and very proliferic, each plant having6 to 8 laterals after pinch.

9. Very floriferous, with an excellent display of many small flowers.

The accompanying photographic drawing is a side view of a potted mum ofCherry Papillon, with 4 cuttings in a 15 cm pot, with the colors beingas nearly true as possible with illustrations of this type.

Of the commercial cultivars known to the inventor, the most similar incomparison to Cherry Papillon is the parent cultivar Papillon. Alltraits of Cherry Papillon are similar to those of Papillon, except forthe ray floret color and the color retention. The ray floret color ofCherry Papillon is described as greyed-red, while the ray floret colorof Papillon is red-purple. The color of Cherry Papillon fades relativelyfast to a lighter bronze (about RHS 179C), with the ray florets ofPapillon fading considerably less.

In the following description color references are made to the RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart. The color values were determined onplant material grown as a pinched spray pot mum in Salinas, Calif. onDec. 12, 1990.

Classification:

Botanical.--Dendranthema grandiflora cv Cherry Papillon.

Commercial.--Flat daisy spray pot mum.

INFLORESCENCE

A. Capitulum:

Form.--Flat.

Type.--Daisy.

Diameter across face.--35 to 37 mm when fully opened.

B. Corolla of ray florets:

Color (general tonality from a distance of three meters).--Greyed-red.

Color (upper surface).--Closest to 180C.

Color (under surface).--Closest to 181D.

Shape.--Straight, oblong, slightly ribbed.

C. Corolla of disc florets:

Color (mature).--Closest to 12A.

Color (immature).--Closest to 3A.

D. Reproductive organs:

Androecium.--Present on disc florets only; moderate pollen.

Gynoecium.--Present on both ray and disc florets.

PLANT

A. General appearance:

Height.--20 to 25 cm when grown as a pinched pot mum with 14 to 15 longdays after sticking unrooted cuttings, and with 0 to 2 applications of2500 ppm B-9 SP.

Branching pattern.--Spreading and very prolific, each plant having 6 to8 laterals after pinch.

B. Foliage:

Color (upper surface).--147A.

Color (under surface).--147B.

Shape.--Small, lobed and slightly serrated.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named CherryPappilon, as described and illustrated.